by Mary Kole

Happy New Year! And… Contest!

Hey readers, Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you closer to your writing dreams and be filled with joy, prosperity, craft and laughter for you and your loved ones.

I’m ducking in quickly to dispense good wishes and also to reveal my new contest for January! Since the new year is all about new beginnings… this contest is, too. This round, I’m accepting entries for the beginnings (up to the first 500 words) of your MG or YA novels (sorry, no picture books this time around). Then I’ll dissect what makes a strong novel opening — one of the most difficult and crucial moments in your manuscript.

Head on over to the Kidlit Contest page to find out more!

10 Replies to “Happy New Year! And… Contest!”

Lacey Boldyrev says:

at

Happy New Year!

Reply
Ashley Cook says:

at

Happy New Year!

Reply
Katharina Gerlach says:

at

Happy New Year to you, too. Thank you for giving us another chance to win urgently needed criticism. Time is valuable and it quite generous of you to give us so much of it. I always enjoy the new posts.

Reply
Katharina Gerlach says:

at

P.S.: I’ve been more of a lurker so far.

Reply
Shevi says:

at

Happy new year! The contest sounds like fun.

Reply
Stella Michel says:

at

Sounds like a great contest. Unfortunately, my novel is still in progress or I’d enter. Maybe next time, if you run it again sometime. Thank you anyhow.

Reply
Buffy Andrews says:

at

Hi Mary, I hope that 2010 is a super year for you and that all of your dreams come true. Best of luck with all of your publishing endeavors. Peace and blessings, Buffy

Reply
Jessica says:

at

I’m excited for this! I’ve just recently discovered this blog and it has been a tremendous help in editing my work. Thanks!

Reply
Marsha Lytle says:

at

I am really excited about this contest. It is a wonderful chance to get your work out there.

Reply
Allison Edwards says:

at

This sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I’m so glad I found out about it.

Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Get Your Manuscript Submission Cheat Sheet

Pitching your project to an agent or publisher doesn’t have to be scary! Make it easy (well, easier) with our free Manuscript Submission Cheat Sheet: 27 pages of friendly, helpful information for writers ready to take the next step.

It’s written by Mary Kole, a veteran literary agent, editor, and publishing industry insider who knows how the system works.

Delivered right to your inbox, just as soon as you subscribe to our email newsletter below:

Writing Blueprints

Dedicated readers know that I don’t advertise on this blog. There’s only one exception: If I find a resource that I fully believe is worth your time and money, I will absolutely share it. That’s exactly the case with Writing Blueprints online courses, created by Children’s Book Insider. There are courses for picture book, chapter book, MG and YA, self-publishing, marketing, and more.

And now, you can buy my very own Manuscript Submission Blueprint, with over ten hours of instruction, 35+ handouts, sample query letters, and interviews about all facets of the submission process to agents and publishers for all writers, for writers in all categories. If you’re curious, you can find free trial versions of all the Manuscript Blueprints here.

Questions?

Writing and publishing can be confusing. Not only do you have to hone your writing craft in today’s market, you also have to become savvy about the business end of things. I’d love to answer any questions you have. Please remember, anything you send can be featured on the site. Reach out here: mary@kidlit.com

Just a note: I will only answer general questions about the craft of writing, agents, editors or publishing. Do not ask for feedback or critique, please. Also, please keep your questions to a reasonable length. If you find you have a more involved question that will benefit from you reading your work ahead of time, please feel free to book a paid consultation using my calendar.